Over the years, new tools have been developed that have made our life in the sewing room faster & easier. With so many tools available, we thought we would ask our staff what their favorites are and why. Each month we will share a favorite tool with you and we want your feedback! Is it one of your favorites too? Or maybe it’s brand new to you – a future favorite!!

Our first “Favorite Tool” comes to us from in-house designer, Dian S. As you will see, Dian’s our go-to gal for samples making & purse design. So let’s see what Dian has to say about her favorite: the bias tape maker.

“At Indygo Junction, it seems that if there is a sample to be made with bias binding my name is called. That’s ok, I like to make the binding. Making your own binding allows you to coordinate perfectly with your fabric and project. You can make the binding stand out or blend in. You can do stripes that are on the diagonal, you can do prints, solids or batiks. It’s your choice to accent your project in your own way. Using pre-packaged bias is so limiting – you are forced to select from limited colors.

There are three ways to make binding tape.

First, you can do it the old fashioned way by cutting out your strips, pressing the strip in half and then pressing the raw edges to the center. See our video (see video tab) & free PDF (see FREE tab) for tips to use this method.

Second, you can use the Clover Bias Tape Makers. Some of my favorite sewing tools are the Clover Bias Tape Makers which are a manual tool that helps cut the time to fold and press your strips. Did you know that you don’t have to use strips cut on the bias to use the Clover tools? If you aren’t going to be applying your binding around curves, you don’t have to use strips cut on the bias – it’s a choice. If you are doing a quilt, then you probably will want to stick with the traditional methods and use bias. But if you are making clothing or home dec you might want to think about straight of grain binding. It gets made in the same manner as the bias, you just cut your strips on the straight of grain instead of the bias and you use less fabric!

If you have a lot of binding to make (like for a quilt) you might consider the third method using electric bias taper makers such as the Simplicity Bias Tape Machine (they also make the Simplicity Rotary Cutter to cut your strips quick too!). They are really convenient for big jobs and fast with the same results as hand tools or by hand. – Dian S.”

So what’s your favorite tool? Maybe we will feature it in an upcoming Favorite tool post!